16.8.16

The Federal High Court sitting in Port
Harcourt has declared that the National Caretaker Committee of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the executive authority in all matters
concerning the party and that the August 17 national convention of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled for Port Harcourt was in line
with the July 4 judgment of the court, which validated the May 21, 2016
National Convention of the party.

The court also ordered the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the convention while the
Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of
State Security (DSS), the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the
Rivers State Director of the DSS provide security at the convention.

The decisions of the court were
contained in its judgment in suit no: FHC/PH/CS/585/2016 between Senator
Ben Obi (plaintiff) on behalf of the National Convention Planning
Committee of the PDP, and the Inspector General of Police, State
Commissioner of Police, the DSS, the state director of the DSS and INEC
(as defendants).

The Presiding Judge, Justice Ibrahim
Watila, noted that the July 4 judgment of the court had not been
upturned by any appellate court and so was valid and subsisting.

A mild drama however played out in court as the judge was about to deliver his judgment.

A lawyer, who gave his name as T. A.
Damiari, rose to get the attention of the court that he represented a
party seeking to be joined in the suit.

But the judge said he had not seen any process to that effect and would go on to deliver the judgment.

When Damiari insisted on being joined,
Watila ordered the lawyer to sit down as he would not entertain any
attempt to ridicule his court.

“Please sit down. You cannot arrest my judgment. This is not a kangaroo court. Neither am I a politician,” Watila said.

While delivering his judgment, Watila
also noted that the defendants in the suit were appropriately served but
failed to enter appearance in the suit, adding that would not be an
excuse for him not to rule on the application.

Watila declared that the July 4 judgment
of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt recognised the May 21
National Convention which produced the National Caretaker Committee has
not been appealed against or set aside, hence it behoves the court to
protect that judgment.

“It is necessary for the defendants to carry out their respective functions at the 17th August, 2016,” he declared.

The court stressed that all the defendants were clearly and without dispute bound to obey the judgment.

“This court will not shy away from
protecting the sanctity of its judgment. The court has held that the
appointment of the PDP National Caretaker Committee is valid,” he said.